Research conducted by the RWI-Leibniz Institute for Economic Research, and reported by the “Rheinische Post” suggests that the recent fuel discount has been almost entirely passed on to consumers.
According to the investigation, fuel prices dropped by approximately 16 cents per liter across all fuel types as of May 1st. The comprehensive price reduction results from a 14-cent cut in the federal energy tax, bringing the potential market discount, including Value Added Tax (VAT), to 16.7 cents per liter. These findings are based on data provided by the Market Transparency Agency.
Manuel Frondel, an energy expert at RWI, expressed surprise to the newspaper that the discount was fully passed on. He noted that earlier research into the fuel discount in 2022 had already indicated that the mineral oil corporations initially passed the relief onto consumers.
Frondel anticipates that the companies are behaving differently now than they did in 2022, suggesting that the discount will remain substantially passed on in the future. He reasons that the oil corporations are acutely aware of the scrutiny they face from the public and the cartel authorities, leading them to sacrifice profit margins rather than inviting further criticism.
